Curtainside movable wall system

ABSTRACT

A cargo containment body with movable wall panels that always remain substantially parallel to a vertical side of the cargo containment body.

This Application is a Continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/687,598, filed on Apr. 15, 2015, to DaneJennison et al. entitled “Curtainside Movable Wall System,” issued asU.S. Pat. No. 9,452,794, the entire disclosure of which is incorporatedby reference.

This invention pertains to a curtainside movable wall system comprisinga cargo containment body with movable wall panels that always remainsubstantially parallel to a vertical side of the cargo containment body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings illustrate the concepts of the present invention,and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

FIG. 1A shows an isotropic view of an exemplary cargo containment body,without showing a ceiling or a rear wall, and with four movable wallpanels in their moved positions.

FIG. 1B shows a rear perspective view of the cargo containment body asillustrated in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A shows an isotropic view of the cargo containment body of FIG.1A, with the four movable wall panels in different respective positions.

FIG. 2B shows a side perspective view of the cargo containment body asillustrated in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A shows an isotropic view of the cargo containment body of FIG.1A, with the four movable wall panels in their stowed positions.

FIG. 3B shows a cross-section view taken along 3B-3B in FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A shows a partial cross-section elevation view in a direction ofthe longitudinal axis, showing an exemplary movable wall panel suspendedfrom a trolley in a cargo containment body as in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 4B shows an enlarged partial cross-section elevation view of themovable wall panel of FIG. 4A in a direction of the lateral axis,indicated by 4B-4B in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 shows a partial elevation view in a direction of the lateralaxis, showing an exemplary movable wall panel with top and bottom lockrods in a cargo containment body as in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 5A shows an enlarged partial cross-section elevation view of a toplock rod of FIG. 5 in the direction of the longitudinal axis, indicatedby 5A-5A in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5B shows an enlarged partial cross-section elevation view of abottom lock rod of FIG. 5 in the direction of the longitudinal axis,indicated by 5B-5B in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5C shows a partial bottom view of the bottom plate of FIG. 5B,taken along 5C-5C in FIG. 5B.

FIG. 6A shows an enlarged view of the detail marked 6A in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6B shows a perspective view of a top lock rod handle as illustratedin FIG. 6A.

FIG. 6C shows an enlarged view of the detail marked 6C in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6D shows a perspective view of a bottom lock rod handle asillustrated in FIG. 6C.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of an exemplary truck with an attachedcargo containment body.

FIG. 8 shows an isotropic view of an exemplary cargo containment body,without showing a ceiling or a rear wall, with four movable wall panelsin their moved positions, and also showing floor tracks.

FIG. 9 shows an isotropic view of an exemplary cargo containment body,without showing a ceiling or a rear wall, and with eight movable wallpanels so that either side of the cargo containment body can be an openside.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in variousforms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be describedsome embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure isto be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intendedto limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated ordescribed.

Cargo being transported by a transportation carrier such as a truck, arail car, or a ship is typically contained in large box-shaped cargocontainment body. The example of FIG. 7 shows a cargo containment body100 attached to a motor-powered truck vehicle 200. Different cargocontainment bodies are designed differently depending on their intendeduses. Two common designs are standard dry freight bodies and curtainsidebodies.

A standard dry freight body is basically a rectangularly-shaped box,defined by a longitudinal axis extending between a front and a rear, alateral axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and extending betweenleft and right sides, and a vertical axis orthogonal to the longitudinalaxis and to the lateral axis and extending between a top and a bottom.There is a ceiling and a floor in the top and bottom, vertical walls inthe left and right sides, and vertical walls in the front and rear.Typically, the rear wall comprises a door that can be opened to allowloading and unloading of cargo. There often are one or more other doorsin one or both of the side walls. However, loading or unloading lengthycargo through the available doors can be difficult and time-consuming.

In a curtainside body, one or both of the side walls is removed. Thisgreatly facilitates the loading and unloading of lengthy cargo. Acurtain that easily can be pushed aside is hung on each open side toprotect the loaded cargo from inclement weather. A disadvantage of thecurtainside body is that there are few attachment points on an open sideto secure smaller cargo. By contrast, a standard dry freight body hasrigid walls on each side that facilitate fastening small cargo from bothsides.

Transportation carrier companies often keep both standard freight bodycarriers and curtainside body carriers available to meet whichever needsare required. This can be inefficient whenever the mix of current needsdoes not align with the mix currently available cargo containmentbodies.

FIGS. 1A and 1B show an embodiment of a cargo containment body 100 thatcombines the loading convenience of a curtainside body with the wallstability of a standard dry freight body. Movable wall panels 114 areadded to a curtainside body. They are suspended by trolleys 123 thatroll on lateral trolley rails 122, as seen in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Forlengthy cargo, the movable wall panels 114 can be secured in stowedpositions adjacent a fixed vertical wall 113 on the left side, leavingan open right side and the loading convenience of a curtainside body. Acurtain that can be pushed aside easily can be hung from a curtain track151, shown in FIGS. 4A and 5A. Curtain track 151 is one means forsupporting a curtain. For small cargo, the movable wall panels 114 canbe secured on the right side, providing the wall stability of a standarddry freight body on both sides. There also can be doors in a rear wall(not shown), the fixed vertical wall 113, or any of the movable wallpanels 114. A door is illustrated in movable wall panel 114C in thevarious figures.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a cargo containment body 300 withmovable wall panels 313 on the left side and movable wall panels 314 onthe right side. Movable wall panel 314A is shown on the right side,movable wall panels 313B, 313C and 313D are shown on the left side, andmovable wall panels 314B, 314C, 314D and 313A are shown in differentlocations, respectively, on their ways from one side of the cargocontainment body 300 to the other. Trolley rail boxes 321, top lock rodkeepers 332, bottom lock rod keepers 342, floor 312 and front wall 315also are shown. A ceiling and a rear wall are not shown in order toexpose more of the inside of the cargo containment body 300. Havingmovable wall panels on both sides adds the flexibility of loadinglengthy cargo from either side, or of loading it from one side in thefront of the cargo containment body and from the other side in the rear.

Returning to the embodiment of cargo containment body 100, FIGS. 1A and1B illustrate the fixed vertical wall 113 on the left side, the frontwall 115, a floor 112, trolley rail boxes 121 in the top, top lock rodkeepers 132, bottom lock rod keepers 142, and the four movable wallpanels 114 that are labelled 114A, 114B, 114C and 114D. In each of thesetwo views, a ceiling 111 (seen in FIG. 4A) and a rear wall are not shownin order to expose more of the inside of the cargo containment body 100.In each of these two views, each of the four movable wall panels 114 issecured in its moved location on the right side of the cargo containmentbody 100.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show the embodiment of the cargo containment body 100 ofFIG. 1A, with the four movable wall panels 114 in different respectivelocations. That is, movable wall panel 114A is in its moved location onthe right side of the cargo containment body 100, as is shown in FIGS.1A and 1B. Movable wall panel 114D is in its stowed location adjacentfixed vertical wall 113 on the left side of the cargo containment body100. Movable wall panels 114B and 114C are in different locations,respectively, on their ways from one side of the cargo containment body100 to the other.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the fixed vertical wall 113 on the left side,the front wall 115, the floor 112, trolley rail boxes 121 in the top,top lock rod keepers 132, bottom lock rod keepers 142, and the fourmovable wall panels 114 that are labelled 114A, 114B, 114C and 114D.Again, in each of these two views, the ceiling 111 and the rear wall arenot shown in order to expose more of the inside of the cargo containmentbody 100.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show the embodiment of the cargo containment body 100 ofFIG. 1A, with the four movable wall panels 114 in their stowed locationsadjacent fixed vertical wall 113 on the left side of the cargocontainment body 100.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate the front wall 115, the floor 112, trolleyrail boxes 121 in the top, bottom lock rod keepers 142, and the fourmovable wall panels 114 that are labelled 114A, 114B, 114C and 114D.Again, in each of these two views, the ceiling 111 and the rear wall arenot shown in order to expose more of the inside of the cargo containmentbody 100.

It is noted that the four movable wall panels 114 do not all have to beon one side or all have to be on the other side of the cargo containmentbody 100 when cargo is being transported. That is, an operator maychoose to move some of the movable wall panels 114 to the right side,while leaving the other movable wall panels 114 adjacent the fixedvertical wall 113 on the left side of the cargo containment body 100.

In the example of FIGS. 1A, 2A and 3A, those figures show multipletrolley rail boxes 121 extending across the top of the cargo containmentbody 100 parallel to the lateral axis. FIG. 4A shows a partialcross-section elevation view in a direction of the longitudinal axis,showing an exemplary movable wall panel 114 suspended from a trolley123, and FIG. 4B shows an enlarged partial cross-section elevation viewof the movable wall panel 114 of FIG. 4A in a direction of the lateralaxis, indicated by 4B-4B in FIG. 4A. As seen best in FIG. 4B, thetrolley rail box 121 covers and supports a trolley rail 122 and thetrolley 123 rolls on the trolley rail 122. In the example of FIG. 4B,the suspension connection between the trolley 123 and the movable wallpanel 114 comprises a bolt 124, a compression spring 126, a nut 128, andwashers 125 and 127. The illustrated example is one means for moving amovable wall panel between the first side and the second side of thecargo containment body 100.

In the example of FIGS. 1A, 2A and 3A, each movable wall panel 114 issuspended from two parallel trolley rails 122 that are not used by anyof the other movable wall panels 114, and each of the movable wallpanels 114 is movable independently of the other movable wall panels114. In other embodiments different movable wall panels can sharetrolley rails or even trolleys, and a single movable wall panel can besuspended from a different number of trolley rails. Other systems thatdo not include trolley rails may be used for moving the movable wallpanels in different embodiments. For example, movable wall panels can besuspended from wires that move in a lateral direction or from rings thatcan slide over a stationary wire. In another example seen in FIG. 8,movable wall panels also can roll in floor tracks. These are each othermeans for moving a movable wall panel between a first side and a secondside of a cargo containment body. FIG. 8 illustrates cargo containmentbody 200, with floor 212, fixed vertical wall 213 on the left side, andmovable wall panels 214A through 214D that are movable in floor tracks222. A ceiling and a rear wall are not shown in order to expose more ofthe inside of the cargo containment body 200.

Returning to embodiment of FIG. 1A, each of the movable wall panels 114can be secured either on the left side or on the right side of the cargocontainment body 100, by inserting a pair of top lock rods 131 and apair of bottom lock rods 141 in top lock rod keepers 132 and bottom lockrod keepers 142, respectively. The example illustrated in the figures,including the figures discussed below, is one means for securing amovable wall panel so that it does not move. Other embodiments can use adifferent number of lock rods, only top lock rods, only bottom lockrods, various wires, various bolts, and so forth, or other means forsecuring a movable wall panel as is known in the art.

FIG. 5 is a partial elevation view in a direction of the lateral axis,showing an exemplary movable wall panel 114 with top and bottom lockrods in a cargo containment body 100. FIG. 5A shows an enlarged partialcross-section elevation view of a top lock rod 131 of FIG. 5 in thedirection of the longitudinal axis, indicated by 5A-5A in FIG. 5. FIGS.6A and 6B show enlarged views of a top lock rod handle 133 of FIG. 5.

The top lock rod 131 is movable in a top lock rod sleeve 134. The toplock rod handle 133 is attached to the top lock rod 131, and protrudesthrough a gap 135 in the top lock rod sleeve 134. A lower portion of thegap 135 limits rotation of the handle 133 about an axis of the top lockrod 131. If the handle 133 lifts the top lock rod 131 in the sleeve 134until a top end of the top lock rod 131 is received in the top lock rodkeeper 132, an upper portion of the gap 135 allows the handle 133 torotate about the axis of the top lock rod 131 to a resting position in astep notch 136. If the handle 133 is in the step notch 136, the top endof the top lock rod 131 will be retained in the top lock rod keeper 132,and the movable wall panel 114 will not be able to move. The dashedlines in FIG. 6A show the upward movement and rotation of the handle 133from the lower portion of the gap 135 to the resting position in thestep notch 136.

FIG. 5B shows an enlarged partial cross-section elevation view of abottom lock rod 141 of FIG. 5 in the direction of the longitudinal axis,indicated by 5B-5B in FIG. 5. FIGS. 6C and 6D show enlarged views of abottom lock rod handle 143 of FIG. 5. As seen in FIG. 5B, the bottomlock rod keeper 142 is formed in the floor 112. The opening in the floor112 is surrounded by a keeper plate 142A, and covered underneath by abottom plate 142B on which the bottom lock rod 141 can rest. FIG. 5Cshows a partial bottom view of the bottom plate of FIG. 5B, taken along5C-5C in FIG. 5B. As an example of another bottom lock rod keeper, theopening in the floor 112 can surround a metal sleeve that receives thebottom lock rod 141, eliminating the keeper plate 142A and the bottomplate 142B.

The bottom lock rod 141 is movable in a bottom lock rod sleeve 144. Thebottom lock rod handle 143 is attached to the bottom lock rod 141, andprotrudes through a gap in the bottom lock rod sleeve 144. A lowerportion of the gap limits rotation of the handle 143 about an axis ofthe bottom lock rod 141. If the handle 143 lifts the bottom lock rod 131in the sleeve 144 until a bottom end of the bottom lock rod 141 isremoved from the bottom lock rod keeper 142, an upper portion of the gapallows the handle 143 to rotate about the axis of the bottom lock rod141 to a resting position in a step in the gap. If the handle 143 is onthe step, the bottom end of the bottom lock rod 141 will be retained outof the bottom lock rod keeper 142 while the movable wall panel 114 isbeing moved. The dashed lines in FIG. 6C show the rotation and downwardmovement of the handle 143 from the resting position on the step to thelower portion of the gap.

The illustrations in the figures show only one example of how to raiseor lower the top lock rod 131 and the bottom lock rod 141, and of how toretain the lock rods 131 and 141 in or out of its respective keeper 132and 142. Numerous other examples are known in the art.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that numerous modificationsand variations can be effectuated without departing from the true spiritand scope of the novel concepts of the present invention. It is to beunderstood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodimentsillustrated and described is intended or should be inferred.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cargo containment body, for attachment to atransportation carrier and containment of cargo being transported by thetransportation carrier, the cargo containment body having a longitudinalaxis extending between a front and a rear of the cargo containment body,having a lateral axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and extendingbetween first and second sides of the cargo containment body, and havinga vertical axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and to the lateralaxis and extending between a top and a bottom of the cargo containmentbody, the cargo containment body comprising: at least one movable wallpanel that is movable in the direction of the lateral axis, and thatalways remains substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis andsubstantially parallel to the vertical axis; and at least one trolleyrail in the top of the cargo containment body, the at least one trolleyrail extending substantially parallel to the lateral axis between thefirst side and the second side; wherein the at least one movable wallpanel is configured to be selectively movable along the at least onetrolley rail; wherein the at least one movable wall panel issufficiently rigid so that it constitutes a wall to which the cargo maybe stably affixed on the second side, if the at least one movable wallpanel is secured at the second side; and alternatively, wherein thecargo can be loaded and unloaded through the second side if the at leastone movable wall panel is moved away from the second side and toward thefirst side.
 2. The cargo containment body as in claim 1, furthercomprising: at least one trolley that is movable along the at least onetrolley rail between the first side and the second side; wherein the atleast one movable wall panel is suspended from the at least one trolleyso that the at least one movable wall panel is movable with the at leastone trolley between the first side and the second side.
 3. The cargocontainment body as in claim 2, wherein the at least one trolley railcomprises a plurality of trolley rails; and the at least one trolleycomprises a plurality of trolleys, each of the plurality of trolleysbeing movable along only one of the plurality of trolley rails.
 4. Thecargo containment body as in claim 3, wherein the at least one movablewall panel comprises a plurality of movable wall panels; each of theplurality of trolleys supports by suspension only one of the pluralityof movable wall panels; and each of the plurality of movable wall panelsis movable between the first side and the second side independently ofwhether another one of the plurality of movable wall panels is beingmoved.
 5. The cargo containment body as in claim 4, further comprising aplurality of lock rods, each of the plurality of lock rods beingappurtenant to one of the plurality of movable wall panels for securingthat one of the plurality movable wall panels so that it does not move.6. The cargo containment body as in claim 2, wherein the at least onetrolley rail comprises at least two trolley rails; the at least onetrolley comprises at least two trolleys, with at least one of the atleast two trolleys being movable along each one of the at least twotrolley rails, respectively; and the at least one movable wall panel issuspended from at least two of the at least two trolleys.
 7. The cargocontainment body as in claim 1, further comprising at least one lock rodfor securing the at least one movable wall panel so that it does notmove.
 8. The cargo containment body as in claim 1, further comprising: atop lock rod appurtenant to one of the at least one movable wall panels;and a top lock rod keeper fixed in the top, and structured anddimensioned to receive a top end of the top lock rod; wherein, when thetop lock rod is received in the top lock rod keeper, the top lock rodwill secure said one of the at least one movable wall panels so thatsaid one of the at least one movable wall panels does not move.
 9. Thecargo containment body as in claim 8, further comprising: a vertical toplock rod sleeve in which the top lock rod is movable; and a top lock rodhandle attached to the top lock rod and protruding through a gap in thesleeve; wherein a lower portion of the gap limits rotation of the handleabout an axis of the top lock rod and, if the handle lifts the top lockrod in the sleeve until the top end is received in the top lock rodkeeper, an upper portion of the gap allows rotation of the handle aboutthe axis of the top lock rod to a resting position in a step notch so asto retain the top end in the top lock rod keeper.
 10. The cargocontainment body as in claim 1, further comprising: a bottom lock rodappurtenant to one of the at least one movable wall panels; and a bottomlock rod keeper fixed in the bottom, and structured and dimensioned toreceive a bottom end of the bottom lock rod; wherein, when the bottomlock rod is received in the bottom lock rod keeper, the bottom lock rodwill secure said one of the at least one movable wall panels so thatsaid one of the at least one movable wall panels does not move.
 11. Thecargo containment body as in claim 10, further comprising: a verticalbottom lock rod sleeve in which the bottom lock rod is movable; and abottom lock rod handle attached to the bottom lock rod and protrudingthrough a gap in the sleeve; wherein a lower portion of the gap limitsrotation of the handle about an axis of the bottom lock rod and, if thehandle lifts the bottom lock rod in the sleeve until the bottom end isremoved from the bottom lock rod keeper, an upper portion of the gapallows rotation of the handle about the axis of the bottom lock rod to aresting position in a step so as to retain the bottom end out of thebottom lock rod keeper while said one of the at least one movable wallpanels is being moved.
 12. The cargo containment body as in claim 1,further comprising: a fixed vertical wall on the first side, the fixedvertical wall extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axisbetween the front and the rear and extending substantially parallel tothe vertical axis between the top and the bottom.
 13. The cargocontainment body as in claim 1, further comprising: a ceiling in thetop; a floor in the bottom; a vertical front wall in the front; and acurtain track on the second side, the curtain track extendingsubstantially parallel to the longitudinal axis between the front andthe rear.
 14. The cargo containment body as in claim 1, furthercomprising: at least one first side movable wall panel that is movablein the direction of the lateral axis along the at least one firsttrolley rail, and that always remains substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis and substantially parallel to the vertical axis;wherein the at least one first side movable wall panel is sufficientlyrigid so that it constitutes a wall to which the cargo may be stablyaffixed on the first side, if the at least one first movable wall panelis secured at the first side; and alternatively, wherein the cargo canbe loaded and unloaded through the first side if the at least one firstside movable wall panel is moved away from the first side and toward thesecond side.
 15. The cargo containment body as in claim 1, wherein theat least one movable wall panel is movable between the first side andthe second side on at least one floor track extending substantiallyparallel to the lateral axis between the first side and the second side.16. A transportation carrier comprising: a motor-powered truck vehicle;and a cargo containment body as in claim 1 that is attached to the truckvehicle.
 17. The cargo containment body as in claim 1, furthercomprising means for moving the at least one movable wall panel betweenthe first side and the second side along the at least one trolley rail.18. The cargo containment body as in claim 1, further comprising meansfor securing the at least one movable wall panel so that it does notmove.
 19. The cargo containment body as in claim 1, further comprising:a ceiling in the top; a floor in the bottom; a vertical front wall inthe front; and means for supporting a curtain on the second side.
 20. Amethod for including in a single cargo containment body both the abilityto load and unload lengthy cargo through a second side of the cargocontainment body and the ability to stably affix small cargo to thesecond side, the cargo containment body being for attachment to atransportation carrier and containment of cargo being transported by thetransportation carrier, the cargo containment body having a longitudinalaxis extending between a front and a rear of the cargo containment body,having a lateral axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and extendingbetween a first side and the second side of the cargo containment body,and having a vertical axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and tothe lateral axis and extending between a top and a bottom of the cargocontainment body, the method comprising: providing at least one movablewall panel that is movable in the direction of the lateral axis, andthat always remains substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis andsubstantially parallel to the vertical axis; providing at least onetrolley rail in the top of the cargo containment body extendingsubstantially parallel to the lateral axis between the first side andthe second side to allow the at least one movable wall panel to move inthe direction of the lateral axis along the at least one trolley rail;wherein the at least one movable wall panel is sufficiently rigid sothat it constitutes a wall to which the small cargo may be stablyaffixed on the second side, if the at least one movable wall panel issecured at the second side; and alternatively, wherein the lengthy cargocan be loaded and unloaded through the second side if the at least onemovable wall panel is moved away from the second side and toward thefirst side.
 21. The method as in claim 20, further comprising: providingat least one trolley that is movable along the at least one trolley railbetween the first side and the second side; and suspending the at leastone movable wall panel from the at least one trolley so that the atleast one movable wall panel is movable with the at least one trolleybetween the first and the second side.
 22. The method as in claim 21,wherein the at least one trolley rail comprises a plurality of trolleyrails; the at least one trolley comprises a plurality of trolleys, eachof the plurality of trolleys being movable along only one of theplurality of trolley rails; the at least one movable wall panelcomprises a plurality of movable wall panels; each of the plurality oftrolleys supports by suspension only one of the plurality of movablewall panels; and each of the plurality of movable wall panels is movablebetween the first side and the second side independently of whetheranother one of the plurality of movable wall panels is being moved. 23.The method as in claim 22, further comprising providing a plurality oflock rods, each of the plurality of lock rods being appurtenant to oneof the plurality of movable wall panels for securing that one of theplurality movable wall panels so that it does not move.
 24. The methodas in claim 20, further comprising providing at least one lock rod forsecuring the at least one movable wall panel so that it does not move.25. The method as in claim 20, further comprising: providing a ceilingin the top; providing a floor in the bottom; providing a vertical frontwall in the front; and providing a curtain track on the second side, thecurtain track extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axisbetween the front and the rear.